


A Pirate’s Life

by justanoutlaw



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Episode: s06e10 Wish You Were Here, F/M, OQ Realms Week 2020
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-19
Updated: 2020-03-19
Packaged: 2021-02-28 18:01:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,063
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23211412
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/justanoutlaw/pseuds/justanoutlaw
Summary: Regina set sail after she was banished from the Enchanted Forest in an attempt to find a new sense of purpose. It took her a long time to find that in a thief who needed the same.
Relationships: Evil Queen | Regina Mills/Robin Hood
Comments: 2
Kudos: 13





	A Pirate’s Life

**Author's Note:**

> For Day 2 of OQ Realms Week: Wish Realm.

Snow White banished her a cool day one fall and for many years after that, Regina considered herself alone. Sure, she had the company of the other men in Captain Hook’s crew (he had disappeared sometime after), but they weren’t what she would consider friends. They were there for each other to man the ship and make sure that no one drank too much rum. Yet, none of them really trusted her. Even though she didn’t have an ounce of magic left in her body, they still regarded her as the Evil Queen. To be fair, she didn’t give them much to trust. She spent most of her off time in her quarters, planning how exactly she would exact revenge on Snow White for taking everything away from her.

Sure, there were good things that happened. Like the sorceress she met that agreed to give her a youth potion in exchange for some silver, so she could remain looking forever young. Or the Arendelle isle that always had the best dark chocolate in all of the realms. But at the end of the day, Regina didn’t have anyone. She knew it was her own fault. If she had been better about sneaking around with Daniel, if maybe she hadn’t resented Snow so damn much…

Then she met him. A man who had pushed away everyone, just as she had.

When he approached the ship in the docks, his arrow was held high and he had a smirk on his face. Regina noticed it didn’t quite meet his blue eyes. He was alone, willing to face her and all the men on the ship. Stupid, yet desperate. She had to give him a smile for his bravery.

“Give me your jewels,” he demanded.

Regina let out a hearty laugh. “I think you’re mistaken.” She took a step forward, her maroon dress swishing below her. “We’re the pirates, we do the thieving.”

The man pulled further back on his arrow. “No, milady. You give up your bracelet and necklace, or I release.”

“And then my men will attack.” She gestured towards the boat, where several of the sailors were already clamoring for her swords. “So, are you going to come with me to get something to eat or are you going to complete a suicide mission?”

The man regarded her for a minute. He didn’t trust her and Regina didn’t blame him. Even if he hadn’t heard of her reputation, she still had a band of men waiting to rip his guts out with one wrong move. Slowly, he lowered his bow, moving the arrow into his bag.

“Where are we eating?”

“Follow me, I’ll show you.”

She lead him down the steps, past the other bunks. Captain Hook’s old quarters had been cleaned out and she now resided there. Over the years, she had traded things out. The sheets were now purple and there were paintings of horses on the walls. Boxes of jewels were stacked, along with her games of dice. She saw the thief eying them, but ignored it. Instead, she walked to the shelf where she kept the bread and a knife, slicing some up along with an apple.

“What’s your name, thief?”

“Robin. Robin of Locksley.”

“Very well. I’m Regina, the Captain of this fine ship.” She placed the food onto a white cloth and presented it before him. He stared at it and she rolled her eyes. “I hardly had time to poison it, Locksley.”

He huffed, accepting the cloth from her. “Robin will do just fine.”

Regina smirked, leaning against the shelves with her arms crossed over her chest. “So,  _ Rob-in _ ,” she enunciated. “What’s your story?”

Robin shrugged as he took a bite of the bread. “Don’t share that with people I don’t know.”

“I’m giving you part of my rations and you tried to steal from me.” He still didn’t say anything. “Well, I’d say we’re a lot alike.”

Robin scoffed. “Right.”

“Well, you came to attack a pirate ship…alone. Yet, you have a pretty nice bow and arrow. That tells me you have to be a good thief. Perhaps you worked with a crew like I did at some point.”

“I was never a sailor.”

Regina cocked her head. “No?”

Robin sighed, placing the cloth onto the table, leaving the half loaf of bread in his hands and taking another bite of it.

“I used to be with a crew called The Merry Men. I formed it with my girlfriend, Marian. We’d steal. After she died, I went off on my own. I didn’t need anyone.”

Regina frowned. The story sounded all too similar to her own. “That’s a dangerous thought process.”

“I do okay.”

“You were nearly killed by a band of pirates.”

“One false move.”

Regina rolled her eyes. “You know, Robin, I wasn’t always a pirate. Once upon a time, I used to be a queen.”

Robin raised an eyebrow. “Seriously?”

“Yes. And I learned you cannot rule a kingdom alone. You need advisors, people to have your back in case you’re invaded. That was exactly the mistake I made, having no back up the day…” She trailed off, shaking her head. “It’s not important. What is, is that I learned my lesson. This crew, they’re idiots and half the time, they drive me crazy. But they were also ready to kill you if you hurt me. And I think that says something.”

She took a step forward.

“You may think you do better alone…but trust me. No one deserves a life of solitude.”

Robin left the ship that day, but he did return when they were embarking for their next voyage.

“Room for one more?”

Regina smiled and welcomed him on, introducing him to the crew. As he helped get the ship ready for sail, he rolled up his sleeves. Regina noticed a familiar tattoo on his arm. It was one she had seen many years ago, in a tavern with an annoying but helpful green fairy. Her heart skipped and she felt her mouth run dry.

No…this couldn’t be…could it…

“Robin,” she called out. “How long have you had that tattoo?”

Robin looked down at it, then back up at her, shrugging. “I don’t know, before I met Marian I guess.”

He was pulled into help Smee, leaving Regina to stand awestruck.

“What the fuck,” she mumbled.


End file.
